California Air Pollution Control District Reminds Residents about Asbestos Testing Requirements

Recently, the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District issued an advisory regarding cleanup efforts in Capitola Village. The concerns resulted from remediation efforts following floods this spring that damaged a number of structures.

As reported in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, “We are aware of contractors working in your area that are either unlicensed or simply failing to conduct asbestos testing because they are not certified or qualified to conduct asbestos-related work" said Mike Sheehan of Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District. "We hope to prevent violations of asbestos rules primarily to protect workers, building owners and the public from unnecessary asbestos exposure"

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that when added to building products offers desirable attributes such as increased strength, corrosion resistance, acoustical dampening, thermal insulation and fire resistance. Breathing these resilient asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of respiratory diseases including, mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. Cleanup efforts that disturb asbestos containing materials can aerosolize the asbestos fibers and create avoidable health hazards.

“Most citizens believe asbestos was banned for use in the late 1970s, but U.S. asbestos bans are not what people think (see www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbbans2.pdf for more detail). Asbestos was and is used in building materials to this day,” reported Derrick A. Denis, V.P. Indoor Environmental Quality at Clark Seif Clark, one of California’s leading asbestos consulting firms. “Many, but not all, U.S. manufacturers voluntarily removed asbestos from their products to avoid product liability issues. Annually the U.S. imports thousands of asbestos-containing products. EPA requires asbestos inspection of buildings and structures prior to renovation/demolition regardless of the date of construction. And, OSHA requires limiting worker exposure to asbestos regardless of the structure’s age,” he continued.

A public service video on asbestos, cosponsored by CSC, can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCpQYuK8ge8.

To learn more about how CSC can help with asbestos and IAQ services please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark (CSC)
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both the public and private sectors address environmental issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

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